Change Is Never Easy
by Gothic Pixie Shadow
Summary: Minato has fallen mysteriously ill, to the worry of his friends and family. Something within him is changing, and it terrifies Minato. What is happening to him? And, what happens when it tears his life apart?


**Pixie: I'm back from the dead! Not really, as I am not of the undead, but I've just been kept busy by life. And, with NaNoWriMo coming up, it's unlikely I'll update anything for at least another month. Sowwies to all my fans of my other stuff. In the meantime...enjoy this non-Kingdom Hearts fun! Yes, it's AU. Can you tell I like AU? XD**

"I'm home!"

The voice rang happily through the house, quickly followed by the sound of a door closing. In his room, Minato lay under the covers, a fever having kept him in bed for most of the week. His brother Ryoji had been making sure he tried to stay on top of his school work, but it wasn't easy when one could barely muster the strength to sit up.

"Minato, you awake?"

He heard Ryoji bound up the stairs and into their shared bedroom. "Feeling any better?"

Minato gazed up at his twin from his blanket cocoon, attempting to stifle a cough but failing. He could see Ryoji's excitement fade.

"You'll get better before you know it," he said, the words identical to what he said that morning before heading to school, yesterday, and the day before that. He was trying to remain hopeful, but Minato wondered just where Ryoji's optimism would end.

"Mom'll be home late again," Minato spoke weakly. Their mother was a workaholic, and often would never be home before ten, sometimes later than that. It meant leaving her sons home alone quite a lot, and the pair had grown used to it over the years.

"I see…Well!" Ryoji exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "I'll make us something good for dinner."

Ryoji hurried off downstairs, leaving Minato alone. He could hear the sounds of pots and pans mixed in with various swearing. Ryoji wasn't a great cook, that was Minato's department. But, hearing a loud crash, followed by the equally loud shout of "Shit!" made Minato want to see just what Ryoji was doing to the kitchen.

He managed to kick the covers off, a blast of cool air chilly on his heated skin. His blue robe was hanging in his closet, a minor distance from his bed, but still far enough away to pose an inconvenience. Somehow, mostly by using items around the room for support, he made it to the closet, tying the robe tight around himself. It wasn't as great a warmth as the full cover of his quilt, but it was better than freezing in his pyjamas. Getting to the kitchen would prove another problem.

Progress was slow and shuffling, as the teen made his way down the hall. He was exhausted from simply getting up and walking to his closet, an act that held no difficulty in the past. Now, he had to rest against the wall every few steps, the stairs slowly growing closer. Descending the staircase itself also proved difficult, with Minato clinging to the banister for dear life and his feet nearly slipping from under him every other step. Eventually, he made it downstairs, and to the kitchen, where he leaned in the doorway, silently watching Ryoji cook.

It looked as if whatever problem the other had, he'd resolved it in the time it took for Minato to get up and downstairs. Rice boiled quietly on the stove, some broccoli was steaming, and there was something in the oven. Seeing Minato standing there made Ryoji jump in surprise.

"Minato, I never heard you come in. What's wrong?"

Shaking his head, Minato smiled. "Heard lot's of noise, so I thought I'd help."

At this, Ryoji returned the smile. "Oh, no, it's fine. I managed to work it out."

Minato wobbled a bit. The room seemed to spin, and he shook his head, trying to clear the sensation.

"Minato?" Ryoji asked, voice laden with concern. "You should get back to bed."

Ryoji moved towards his brother, intent on helping back upstairs, but Minato's legs gave out before he could reach him, prompting the dark-haired male to lunge forward, wrapping his arms around the other and softening the fall.

"You shouldn't have gotten up," he said, pulling Minato up to his feet again. He let his brother's weight rest entirely on him. Minato gave no reply, and simply let Ryoji lead him back to his bed, tucking him back under his blankets. Before Ryoji headed back downstairs, he used the thermometer sitting on Minato's nightstand to check his temperature.

"Hm…" Ryoji hummed to himself, waiting for the device to beep. When it did, he groaned in frustration. "Still no real change…wouldn't it be going down by now?" he asked to no one in particular. Minato frowned. He wondered what could possibly be wrong with him, if it didn't look like whatever it was was going away anytime soon.

Ryoji sighed. "Well…I'll go check on dinner. No more getting up, alright?" He waggled his finger at Minato playfully. Minato smiled, laughing a little. "Yes, Doctor Ryoji."

Grinning, Ryoji turned and left the room. Minato's smile faded, the question not leaving his mind. Could it really be the flu, like his mother thought? Ryoji had gotten the flu last year, and was better in three days, and it had been almost five since Minato had fallen ill. No way it was the flu.

But, if it wasn't, what was it? The question remained at the back of his mind through dinner, up until he drifted off to sleep a couple of hours later.


End file.
